Patent Application
20210398372
Embodiments relate generally to sterilization and disinfection. More particularly, embodiments relate to the use of UV-C LEDs within a closed, secure compartment to sterilize or disinfect individual assets, particularly personal, medical or surgical protective equipment.
It is well-established that ultraviolet (UV) radiation is effective in killing microorganisms including but not limited to bacteria, viruses, yeasts and molds. UV radiation is widely used for sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces in various industries including healthcare, food processing, research laboratories, air purification systems and water purification applications. Ultraviolet radiation/light is electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength ranging from approximately 10 nanometers (nm) to approximately 400 nanometers. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) is a range of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength ranging from approximately 100 nanometers to approximately 280 nanometers. UV-C light in particular has demonstrated to be up to 99.9% effective in the sanitization of microorganisms and biological pollutants/pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, molds, dust mites and flea eggs.
There are several advantages to utilizing UV-C light, in addition to the effectiveness described above. UV-C light requires only electricity, and there are no potentially hazardous chemicals and the associated storage challenges presented thereby. UV-C light leaves no residue, does not require drying time, cannot spill or splash, requires minimal skill and/or effort on the part of the operator, and uses long-lasting bulbs that require very little inventory management.
Safely using UV-C light to disinfect surfaces does present some unique problems. First, UV-C light sources cast shadows. Areas in shadows may not be properly disinfected. Second, UV-C light bulbs, like nearly all light bulbs, are relatively fragile and present dangers if broken. Third, UV-C radiation is harmful to humans, especially in high-intensity applications like those used in disinfecting procedures. These issues have been addressed in various ways in commercial, manufacturing and high-volume contexts. Approaches for identifying and tracking items to be disinfected by a UV light sources are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,056,147, 9,542,663, and 10,255,466 have included the use of bar codes and RFID tags associated with the item to aid in identifying and tracking individual items. Other approaches have used sensors or identification codes to determine the presence or absence of an item in a disinfection device as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,057,657 and 9,672,726. While these approaches may be useful in the context of batch decontamination processing, these approaches may not be suitable in the context of quick and simple disinfection of individual items, especially where the individual user is one of a multitude of users who want to utilize a disinfection process.
A particular problem associated with the limitations of UV-C sterilization in the context of sterilizing individual assets of different users is the difficulty of associating identifiers with different individual items to be sterilized as this can lead to cross-contamination of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other individual assets. In addition to the added complexity and components that need to be added to the individual asset, such identifiers may not be suitable for attachment to an asset or may be destroyed or damaged during the sterilization process. There is a need for a UV-C disinfection and sterilization system that exploits the advantages of UV-C light, while also addressing the aforementioned problems in the context of sterilization of a small number of individual assets used by different users.
A secure sterilization system in accordance with various embodiments comprises at least a plurality of sterilization compartments contained within a device, a connection to a database that contains user information and asset information obtained from machine-readable media, a media input device for performing analysis of machine-readable media, and a control system for granting user access to secure compartments. In various embodiments, the secure sterilization system is configured for secure transfer of PPE or other individual sterile items from a user to a particular individual compartment of a secure sterilizer unit and back to the user without the need for individual identifiers of each item and without cross-contamination or inadvertent exchange of individual items.
Prior art asset access systems that provide sterilization of individual assets, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) of a given individual do not have the potential to be utilized extensively in systems where the individual asset may not have individual identification or the owner of the asset does not have a particular human involved in the transaction. In various embodiments, there is no need for dedicated hardware on the part of the user that must be attached to an individual asset for identification will permit the widespread deployment of these asset access sterilization systems. In various embodiments, a non-hardware-specific system that allows users to gain access to individual PPE sterilization assets and complete transactions for these asset management and access systems. One of the advantages of such a sterilization access system is to allow individual users to have their own PPE assets, for example, sterilized and reused without another human involved contact and without the possibility of mixing up an asset of the given individual with an asset of another individual.
In embodiments, the plurality of sterilization compartments include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within the sterilization compartment include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within a sterilization compartment include components for presence/absence detection of assets within a compartment.
A secure sterilization system in accordance with various embodiments comprises at least a plurality of sterilization drawers, each drawer with a plurality of sterilization compartments contained within a device, a connection to a database that contains user information, administrator information and asset information obtained from machine-readable media, a media input device for performing analysis of machine-readable media, and a control system for granting user access to secure compartments.
The control system in accordance with various embodiments utilizes a two-dimensional (2D) code associated with a particular drawer or door that allows a user to gain physical access to and insert an item to be sterilized. Users of the system will present the 2D code to a transaction client that grants the user access to a sterilization drawer. Transaction clients can reside at various facilities that do not employ humans as part of the asset transfer to the user. Automated transaction clients can reside at facilities that include, but are not limited to, hospitals, research and testing laboratories, vehicle parking facilities, storage and rental facilities, bank ATMs, vending machines, school, hospital or gym lockers, luggage handling locations such as airports or train stations, and hotel room doors. Upon completion of the sterilization of the item, the user will present a new 2D code to the human-less access system that allows the user to retrieve the sterilized item from the sterilization drawer at the transaction client.
In embodiments, the plurality of sterilization compartments within the plurality of sterilization drawers include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within the plurality of sterilization compartments within the plurality of sterilization drawers include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within the plurality of sterilization compartments within the plurality of sterilization drawers include sensor components for presence/absence detection of assets within a compartment.
Remote access to physical assets occurs in many forms today. In embodiments, secure access to sterilized assets is enabled. Embodiments of compartment-based secure access systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,665,047 (Terp) which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
User 14 may be identified by a static identifier, such as an identification badge or facial recognition, or a dynamic identifier, such as a randomized numeric, bar, or QR code.
For example, in an on-site transaction with a system in order to insert an item to be sterilized, the user 14 may present a 2D code to the system by showing the screen of a mobile device to the optical unit input, such as camera 32, of the system. The asset sanitation system may contain multiple zones 22 that have covers or other actuated features to secure an item during sanitation and until retrieval by user 14. The screen 28 or other passive feedback device displays messages that communicate transaction details to the user 14. The transaction of the user 14 with the sanitation system does not require the presence of any personnel.
Upon completion of the presentation by the user 14 of the 2D code on the screen of the mobile communication device to the optical input unit 32, and upon the subsequent validation of the 2D code, the system will actuate opening of a sterilization compartment, e.g., compartment 26. Upon the sensed insertion of the asset 12 the system will display the appropriate status message at the display 28 and complete the transaction by closing the compartment 26 that contains the asset to be sanitized.
The system of
Embodiments substantially embodying the individual access exemplified in
Embodiments substantially embodying example device 140 may be advantageously used by personnel running a checkpoint or other centralized control of items to be sanitized. For example, in a manufacturing setting, a crew or shift may all need to return PPE or other items for sanitation at the same time, or to assist customs agents from minimizing introduction of contaminants by sanitizing the luggage of international travelers. Embodiments similar to example device 140 may also be advantageously used in clean settings where each individual may have multiple pieces of PPE to sanitized at one time, such that an individual may have sole access to a drawer 146 and each PPE item may be placed in a separate compartment to avoid shadowing and other interference between items.
Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the invention may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the invention may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the invention can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted. Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is intended also to include features of a claim in any other independent claim even if this claim is not directly made dependent to the independent claim.
Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.
For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.
